Preschool Phobia
by celrock
Summary: It's Chuckie's first day of preschool, and he's too afraid to go. Can Tommy and Zachary help convinced fraidy cat Chuckie that there's nothing to be afraid of, and that preschool will be a lot of fun?
1. Chapter 1

Preschool Phobia

Summary: It's Chuckie's first day of preschool, and he's too afraid to go. Can Tommy and Zachary help convinced fraidy cat Chuckie that there's nothing to be afraid of, and that preschool will be a lot of fun?

Editional Notes: It's another year later, Tommy is now 3, Chuckie is now 4, and while Zack is only 2-years-old, he's very advanced for his age, so he'll be attending the preschool, as a roll model. Also it should be noted, that Miss Applebee, who appeared in the Rugrats episode titled "Educating Angelica," is the teacher throughout all stories relating to preschool. I'll also remind everyone that I do not own any of the original Rugrats characters, they're the property of their original creaters, and Zachary was introduced in Rugrats and the Gray Plague. Also, in this first chapter, they're having Tommy's third birthday party at a place called Discovery World, which I made up, and named it after a similar place I use to play at as a child called Discovery Zone.

It's a rainy day on Tommy's third birthday, and everybody is at Discovery World, an indoor play place filled with slides, tunnels, and those bins of small colorful plastic balls. Taffy and the adults are sitting across the way from the play structures on benches, talking while they watch the kids play.

"This was an excellent place to have Tommy's third Birthday party." Said Betty.

"The kids are really enjoying themselves!" Howard said excitedly.

"Well, when the forecast called for rain, I knew the party I had planned for Tommy at the park today wasn't going to work out, so this ended up being the next best thing. We would have had it at Piggy's Pizza Palace, but they already had three other birthday parties booked for today." Said Didi.

"I started bringing the kids to play here at Discovery World six months ago, when the terrible 2's was just causing the energy to burst so sky rocket high, that taking them to the video game arcaid, just wasn't cutting it anymore. And because I sprained my ankle, taking them to basketball games was out too. I use to play here at Discovery World when I was a little girl, so I'm glad I could bring them here, and see that they enjoy it as much as I did." Taffy said, smiling.

"Yeah well, we can put the terrible 2's behind us for the most part. Other than Dil and Zack, though Zack is very advanced for his age. He's so advanced, he'll be starting preschool a year early." Said Aunty Celeste.

"We're doing the opposite with Chuckie. We decided to have him wait and start a year later, that way he'd have the support of his little friends and sister at school." Said Chas.

"I can't believe Tommy will be starting preschool next week." Didi said excitedly.

"They're growing up so fast." Kira said.

Over in one of the bins of balls, the little ones were playing together.

"These balls are so much fun!" Tommy said excitedly, tossing a few balls up in the air.

"This is the bestest Birthday party ever!" Exclaimed Kimi.

"Thanks Kimi." Replied Tommy.

"Yeah but I wish we had dog food, that was fun 2 years ago when we all thought we could turn into dogs." Said Phil.

"And last year, we played in your backyard after not seeing you for a while." Added Lil.

"I liked last year's party." Said Zack.

"Yeah but this year's is fun too! There's tunnels to crawl through!" Said Kimi excitedly.

"And slides." Said Phil

"And, these balls are fun!" Giggled Lil, bouncing up and down in the balls bin, tossing some balls up and down.

"Yeah but every Birthday, we're another year olderer, which means more changes. Last year it was the potty, and now, I thought I heard the grown ups just talking about us starting preschool next week." Chuckie said nervously, berrying his head in the balls bin.

"Come on Chuckie, preschool is gonna be fun! They have lots of toys to play with, and other kids to play with, it will be like going to the park indoors!" Tommy replied excitedly.

"How do you know you've never been to preschool." Chuckie replied.

"Actually I went one time with Angelica when she took me for share day a while back. They were so excited for me to come, they even had a special room for babies." Tommy continued.

"Yeah but we're not babies no more, we're big kids now." Zack said smiling, standing up in the balls bin.

"Thanks for reminding me that Angelica goes to preschool. No wonder I'm ascared. Um… Tommy?" Chuckie asked nervously.

"Yes Chuckie." Tommy answered.

"Do you think Angelica will be there?" Chuckie asked.

"Don't be silly Chuckie, Angelica is going off to kindergarten." Tommy replied happily.

"Well, that helps a little." Chuckie mumbled, lifting his head out of the balls bin.

Their playtime is interrupted by Didi.

"Who's ready for cake and ice cream?" She asked, standing up from the bench across the way. The kids climb out of the balls bin and head back to the party room, where they finish the Birthday celebration.

While everyone sat around the table in the party room, eating their cake and ice cream, the preschool conversation continued.

"Do you think maybe we should ask Angelica about what preschool is like?" Chuckie asked.

"Good idea Chuckie!" Tommy replied.

Angelica overheard them from another part of the room and headed over to where the gang was sitting.

"Awe, little Chuckie scared of going to preschool? Well, the firstest thing you oughtta know is, there's nothing to be scared of! Preschool is just a giant playpen that's far from home that the grown ups are sending you dummies to so they can have a few hours alone. Of course, you're suppose to learn new things too, but knowing just how dumb you are, you won't learn nothing, staying there forever." Angelica explained.

"We're not dumb Angelica." Tommy said.

"But you might just be." Said Zack, glaring at Angelica.

"Don't you ever call me dumb again mister." Snapped Angelica.

"Sorry." Replied Zack, as he turned away from the table.

"Now if you dummies are done asking your stupid little baby questions, I'm off to practicize the Pledge of Legions." Angelica snapped.

"What's the Pledge of Legions?" Kimi asked.

"It's this thing you have to say everyday at the beginning of kindergarten." Angelica replied.

She went and stood across the room, putting her right hand across her heart, cleared her throat, and began to recite it.

"I pledge legions, to the flag, of United States of Amanda. And to republic, with sand, one nation, under Bob, invensible, with lizerdy and justice for all." She recited.

"That's a very nice pledge Angelica." Said Tommy.

"I thought it went on too long Yucky." Said Dil.

"How many times do I have to tell you. My name's Angelica. Now get it right!" Shouted Angelica, pointing a fist at Dil.

She stomped out of the room and Chuckie let out a huge sigh.

"I don't know about this preschool thing Tommy." Said Chuckie.

"Come on Chuckie, we're gonna have fun! And you'll see, there'll be nothing to be ascared of." Replied Tommy.

"He's right Chuckie, you're worrying for nothing." Zack added.

"Maybe you guys are right, but just in case, I'm gonna bring Wah Wah and my little moon rock that first day to help me feel safe." Chuckie added with a smile, taking another bite of his cake and ice cream.

Back in the main playroom, Angelica went and hid in a corner with Cynthia.

"Oh boy Cynthia, kindergarten is going to be great! And you know why? Cuz we'll be far from those dumb babies, for even longer during the day than we were in preschool. I won't have to be with them for lunch and naptime anymore, in fact, maybe I won't have to see them at all." She said quietly, holding Cynthia up to her face.

On the night before the first day of school, Chuckie had a nightmare where he went to preschool to find the guy on the oatmeal box to be his teacher, and a clown as his classmate, but worst of all, Angelica got held back, and they had to sit together at playtime. Chuckie awoke from the dream in a cold sweat.

"I don't know about this preschool thing, I don't know about it at all." He said anxiously, sitting up in bed, crossing his hands across his chest.

The next morning, it was the first day of school, and everybody was getting ready. At Chuckie's house, he was getting Wah Wah into his new blue Dummi Bears backpack when his daddy entered the room.

"You ready to go to preschool little guy?" Chas asked.

"I'm ascared daddy. What if the other kids don't like me?" Chuckie asked nervously.

"You have nothing to worry about. And your sister and friends will be there with you too." Chas continued, reassuringly, taking Chuckie by the hand.

So how will the rest of the first day of preschool go? We'll find out, in chapter 2.


	2. Preschool Phobia, Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chuckie and Kimi are in the back seat of the car while Chas drives them to preschool.

"I'm a big brave dog I'm a big brave dog." Chuckie kept saying to himself.

"What are you doing?" Kimi asked.

"Oh, just, trying to convince myself I can do this preschool thing." Chuckie sighed, looking out the window.

"It's gonna be fun!" Said Kimi excitedly.

"Maybe for you Kimi, but not for me." Groaned Chuckie.

Back at Tommy's house, he put on his new Reptar backpack and headed out the door with Didi.

"I wanna come too." Dil said, following behind Didi.

"Sorry Dilly, but you're too little to come. You can come next year." Tommy replied happily.

"But I'm gonna miss you." Dil cried.

"No worries Dil, I'll be back at lunchtime, and we'll have all afternoon together. You have fun with daddy." Tommy said, waving goodbye to his brother as Didi got him into the car.

"Bye bye Tommy." Dil said, waving back and shutting the front door behind him, walking back into the house.

At preschool, Phil and Lil were the first to arrive. Betty walked them into the classroom, holding one twins hand with each hand, Phil on her right and Lil on her left.

"Phil and Lil are here for preschool." Betty said approaching Miss Applebee's desk.

"Welcome to the Woodberry school Phil and Lil. We're so excited to have you here!" Miss Applebee said with a smile.

Phil and Lil let go of Betty's hands and ran to sit down in the circle.

Have a nice day kids. I'll see you this evening at Tommy's house when I finish my shift at the Java Lava." Betty said with a smile, turning to leave the room.

The next person to arrive was Aunty Celeste and Zachary. Celeste was having trouble with her cane, so Zachary grabbed her arm and pulled her to Mis Applebee's desk.

"You must be our roll model Zachary. We're so happy to have you!" Said Miss Applebee. Zack nodded, as he went over and found Phil and Lil in the circle.

"Bye Bye Zachary, have a lovely day." Celeste said as she turned to leave the room. Zachary waved goodbye to his aunt with a smile.

As Celeste was walking back to her driverless mini van, Didi and Tommy were walking up the walk into the classroom.

"Hi, I'm Didi and this is my son, Tommy Pickles." Said Didi.

"Hmmm, Tommy Pickles, you look very familiar. I seem to recall Angelica brought you here one of her first days of school." Miss Applebee added.

"Yeah, she did, but Angelica's in kindergarten now, and, I'm a big boy." Tommy said with a smile, looking up at Miss Applebee.

"Yes, you sure are. Why don't you go take a seat at circle time with the others." Miss Applebee said, pointing over at the circle where the others were sitting.

"Bye Mommy." Said Tommy as he headed off to the circle.

"Bye sweetheart, daddy will be here at lunchtime to pick you and your little friends up. Yeah, I work all day at a highschool, so Tommy's dad will be picking him up each day, along with his friends, Chuckie, Kimi, Phil, Lil, and Zack. This will be the case everyday except on Fridays, when either our babysitter Taffy or Zack's aunt will be picking them up." Didi explained to Miss Applebee. The teacher nodded approvingly.

"Well, I'd better be going. Have a nice day Tommy." Didi said walking out of the room.

The last to arrive was Chuckie and Kimi. As they pulled into the parking lot of the school, Kimi jumped up out of her seat.

"Come on let's go!" Kimi said excitedly as she burst open the car door and hopped out of her car seat.

"Are you ready to go Chuckie?" Chas asked. Chuckie looked out his window to see a nice, red brick building.

"This place doesn't look so scary." Chuckie thought to himself.

"I guess so, let's go daddy." Chuckie said with a sigh as he got out of the car. Chas took him and Kimi's hands and led them up to the school.

"And this must be Chuckie and Kimi! We're so excited to have you here at preschool!" Said Miss Applebee.

"Yeah but I think Chuckie's a bit nervous." Said Chas.

"Well you know what Chuckie? There's nothing to be nervous about." Miss Applebee said with a smile, stooping down to Chuckie's level.

"Come on Chuckie," Kimi said, grabbing Chuckie's hand and dragging him towards the circle.

"Hey Chuckeroo, I saved a seat for you between me and Zachary." Tommy said with a smile. Chuckie sat in the empty spot, and Kimi went and sat next to Lil. Chas turned to leave, as four other kids entered the room, going and taking places in the circle. Miss Applebee pulled up a chair and got the class's attention.

"Welcome to preschool everyone! My name's Miss Applebee and I'm going to be your teacher. Before we head off to play though, I'd like all of you to go around the circle and introduce yourselves. Say your name, how old you are, and something you like to do." Said Miss Applebee.

"Hi, my name is Kimi, I'm 3-years-old and I like to play on the playground!" Said Kimi excitedly.

"Well, we'll get plenty of time to play outside on the playground." Miss Applebee replied.

"Hi, I'm Lil, I'm 3-years-old and I like things that are prettyful. This necklace I'm wearing today is shiny and belongs to my mommy." Lil said with a smile, picking up the necklace from around her neck and showing it to the other students.

"That's very pretty. Just so you know, prettyful isn't a word, but we'll be working on our words and how to say them this year in school." Said Miss Applebee.

"Hi, I'm Phil, I'm Lil's 3-year-old twin brother and I like eating worms and dirt." Phil said, pulling a worm from his pant's pocket.

"Um, young man, let's put that away, and come up with an interest that's a little bit more appropriate for my classroom please." Miss Applebee encouraged.

"Well, I do like Reptar, he can do anything!" Phil said.

"Ah, how nice! Does anybody else here like Reptar?" Miss Applebee asked.

Several of the kids raised their hands.

"Hi, I'm Emma, I'm 4 and I like playing on the see-saw." Said a smiling girl with blond hair wearing pink overalls.

"Hi, I'm Samantha, I'm 3 and I like climbing on big rock piles and jumping off of them." Said a red headed girl wearing a blue dress, covered in many bandages.

"Um, I'm Freddy, and… I don't like sandboxes cuz of the sand lizards." Said a blond headed boy wearing blue overalls.

"Can you tell us something you do like? And how old you are?" Asked Miss Applebee.

"Well, I do like picking dandelions, and, I'm 3." Freddy answered.

"My name's Caroline, and I like shiny things that move, like new scooters and toy cars. And oh yeah, I'm 4." Said a black girl wearing a purple shirt, pink shorts, and white shoes.

"I'm Tommy, I just turned 3 last week and I love going on adventures and playing with my doggy Spike." Tommy said with a smile.

"Well Tommy, you'll be pleased to know that we'll be going on lots of adventures here in school in the form of field trips. I'm sorry, but Spike can't come with us, but you can bring him in on bring your pet to school day" Said Miss Applebee. Tommy nodded and smiled.

"I'm Chuckie, and I'm ascared of a lot of things. I'm afraid of the guy on the oatmeal box and clowns, but I like picking dandelions and playing with my bestest friends Tommy and Zack. Oh yeah, and I'm 4-years-old and Kimi's big brother." Said Chuckie.

"Looks like we have some words to work on, but I'll keep those scary things in mind." Said Miss Applebee.

"I'm Zack, I'm 2, and I like learning new things and going on adventures." He said with a smile.

"Well, you'll get to do all of that here, and, we're very glad to have you as a roll model for our class." Said Miss Applebee with a smile.

Later on after circle time, the kids were at free play. Chuckie, Phil and Lil were over at the water table, which was full of water and various rubber duckies and assorted bath type toys.

"Wow, a tiny bathtub you play in with your hands!" Exclaimed Phil.

"Oooh neat! I like it!" Said Lil as she picked up a plastic saleboat from the water.

"This is fun!" Chuckie said with a smile, picking up a rubber ducky and making it squeak.

"Yeah!" Agreed Phil and Lil together.

The rest of the morning at preschool consisted of Chuckie playing blocks with Tommy and Zack, and for the final half hour, they all went out on to the playground where Chuckie played happily on the slide.

Later on after preschool, everyone was seated around the kitchen table at Tommy's house, eating fried baloni sandwiches.

"You know what? Tommy and Zack were right! I had fun at preschool, and I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow!" Said Chuckie with a smile, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"See? I told you it would be fun." Tommy replied happily.

"Same here." Said Zack.

"And the bestest part of all? Is after school we can come back to Tommy's house and eat fried baloni sandwiches, and now that Angelica's in kindergarten, she won't be here at lunchtime and naptime to bug us no more." Chuckie said happily.

"Yay!" Exclaimed everybody as they continued to eat their lunch.

The End


End file.
